Eugene heroin dealer takes plea deal, avoids prison

EUGENE — A man who fatally shot a robber who was stealing drugs from his Eugene home a year ago has admitted in court that he continued to use and sell heroin after the shooting and a drug conviction.

In a plea bargain, Tyler Jon Norman, 28, was sentenced Wednesday on heroin possession and delivery counts, the Register-Guard reported.

Judge Josephine Mooney gave him one last chance to avoid prison by approving the agreement that calls for up to 20 days in jail. The judge said jail officials could have Norman serve out his sentence on a work crew or another alternative program.

She said another drug conviction would send him to prison for 18 months.

Defense attorney Jeff Johnson said Norman has received intensive treatment for his drug problem and has a pair of part-time jobs.

Another judge earlier declined to endorse the deal.

"I've decided to approve this deal because it's in the interest of yourself, the people of this community and the state of Oregon that you do become a law-abiding citizen," Mooney said. "It sounds like your continuing recovery is key to your success here."

On Feb. 2, 2012, police said, two intruders barged into the upscale home of Norman's family.

One intruder fled with 19 grams of heroin and Norman's wallet. Norman grabbed a .40-caliber handgun from beneath a pillow and killed the other.

Prosecutors said it was a legal act of self-defense, but they charged Norman with selling drugs to another person shortly before the robbery. He pleaded guilty a few weeks later and was placed on probation.

In the months afterward, prosecutor David Hopkins said Wednesday, authorities found heroin on Norman three times: 4.6 grams in his pocket during a probation check, 9 grams in a bag that fell from his pants as he gave a probation officer a urine sample for a drug test, and 4 grams when police found him in a hotel room.

But since then, "he has taken fairly substantial steps that we don't often see" from criminal suspects, Hopkins said.

Lane County Judge Ilisa Rooke-Ley had sentenced the surviving intruder to nearly six years in prison and declined to endorse the plea bargain Monday. She said she was "too aware of the details" of Norman's case and not prepared to sentence him to probation.